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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · staff · rush · wave · saw · current · bound · dip

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. staff — a stick
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. current — electric
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bound — tied together
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bound — certain
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. current — of water
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. dip — to sink
  23. current — happening now
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com